Don't Let Them Break You
by TouchTheACTIVE
Summary: Maybe this school year will be different for Dougie, maybe the bullies will back off, maybe he'll make a friend or three
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Do not own._

_A/n: I got bored and wrote this, may or may not be chaptered IDK._

School wasn't fun, especially not for Dougie Poynter, he was bullied, terribly everyday was a relentless hell, sad but true. Entering year nine it was just going to get worse, the elder kids were older and stronger, and even his music had gone. Over the summer his Father left so he sold his bass and iPod to give his Mother a head start while she looked for another job. Of course Dougie had gotten a job as well, only at the supermarket, nothing big but it helped pay the rent so Dougie was happy, however he was only allowed to work small shifts because of his age, being fourteen, working, looking after his younger sister while his mum worked, and trying to keep on track with school was a very difficult routine but he managed.

"Oh, look at Poynter." Dougie's main bully from year eleven shouted, running down the hall way to catch up with Dougie.

"Aaron." Dougie nodded politely and carried on, before Aaron pulled him up by his bag and swung him across the hallway before dropping him.

"Looks like we're up for another fun year." Aaron called as he ran on. Leaving Dougie in a heap on the ground.

"Are you okay?" Dougie looked up to see a brunette looking down at him reaching down, Dougie took his hand and got up.

"Yeah, just people." Dougie shrugged and tried to carry on.

"Harry. I mean, my name's Harry." Harry informed, walking down the hallway with Dougie.

"That's great." Dougie nodded, trying to get away, feeling a bit too claustrophobic he never really spoke to people, it was hard and it only ever ended up in him getting hurt, physically.

"Your name is.." Harry pried.

"Dougie, year nine. The local punching bag of the school." Dougie smiled, trying to make light of the situation as this Harry definitely wasn't going away.

"Year ten, my friend whose also moved year eleven, his name's Tom, look out for him, blonde hair, tad taller than me, always got a guitar, and he'd got a dimple. It's kinda cute really." Harry mused, to himself, as Dougie started to feel awkward.

"Right I'll keep a look out, sounds like you and Tom are great friends." Dougie tried to leave the conversation with the new pupil.

"Eh, yeah, he's fab. I'm average but he's so talented. I'm good at sport and he's amazing at everything." Harry sighed walking away from Dougie. Dougie stared after his giving him the most confused look yet. Harry was either completely infatuated with this Tom boy, or he was in awe of him, either way Dougie was confused.

The rest of the day went very easy in compared to last year, he kept his head down and avoided everyone, it seemed to work until lunch. He couldn't afford packed lunches, but he got free school lunches, however if he ever went to get one he was picked and prodded at, until it just wasn't worth it. Today he was starving, he had to eat. Lining up for school dinner's he was relentlessly teased by Aaron and his friend, keeping his head down trying to ignore the hurtful comments. Hoping that if he showed them it didn't bother him they'd stop, however it didn't, everyday the same thing.

"Hey, who are you picking on?" A boy shouted from behind, it wasn't Harry from earlier, but Dougie was too short to see who it was.

"The new boy wanna join in?" Aaron asked, not teasingly, as if actually inviting this new boy into their gang.

"No. I want you to stop, leave him alone." The boy stuck up for him, even if he didn't know Dougie yet, he good now see he was blonde with a guitar case on his back, coming to stand next to Dougie, the blonde stuck out his hand for Dougie to shake, which he did.

"Tom, if I'm correct, you met my friend Harry today."

"Ah, you must be Tom, just like Harry described." Dougie smiled, finally letting go of Tom's hand.

"Yes, I moved here last week." Tom explained.

"Right, any particular reason." Dougie asked, enjoying this new attention from the new guys.

"My girlfriend was moving and I didn't want to leave her, so yeah. And I have a scholarship in music for next year so we took the money early and brought a house down here." Tom informed.

"Cool, are you in year ten, like Harry?"

"No, year eleven." Tom corrected. "You?"

"Year nine." Dougie offered.

"You shouldn't let them bully you." Tom sighed.

"I can't really stop them look at me." Dougie groaned, he had curtains, mainly his mothers fault, they couldn't afford haircuts so it just kinda stayed like that.

They went through lunch with little disturbance, Harry joined them and sat next to Tom, Dougie being awkwardly sat next to Tom's girlfriend, she was lovely enough but Dougie still didn't really know her, they were never introduced.

Dougie went home to look after Jazzie before heading out to work. Getting to work on time in his uniform. He went to the back to sign in, where a brunette stood hitting the sign in machine.

"Damned thing, they'll think I'm late on my first day." He groaned ina Bolton accent.

"Do you want some help?" Dougie offered, trying to sign in himself, which he quickly did.

"Do you want a haircut?" He replied sarcastically, his hair was obviously perfect to him, dead straight covering one eye. Dougie just slowly walked away, he had this enough at school. "Look I'm sorry." He called after Dougie. "I was just annoyed you managed to do it so quickly, please help."

Dougie turned around, smiled, and helped him sign in. Maybe silence really was the best policy sometimes. "You only had to be nice."

"Yeah, but seriously dude, you need a haircut." He teased again, but friendlier this time.

"You don't think I know!" Dougie half yelled annoyed as they went to the shop floor, just stacking shelves.

"I think I'll follow you today, I have nothing better to do." Danny followed Dougie irritatingly so. "Why don't you just get your hair cut." HE carried on.

"Because," Dougie started. "One, I can't afford it. And two, I'm too busy, eat, school, look after sister, work, sleep, repeat."

"My mum's a hair dresser, I'm sure she'll do it for free, after work?" The boy offered.

"I don't even know your name, address, how I'm going to get home, anything." Dougie set into panic mode.

"Well, if you read my name card, I'm Danny, you're Dougie, My mum picks me up, drives me to my house cuts your hair drives you home." Danny explained.

"Right, well Danny, as lovely as that sounds do you really think your mum will be up for that." Dougie asked.

"Sure."

Of course, Danny's mum was lovely and cut Dougie's hair, instead of awful murky brown curtains, it was now blonde spiked up hair. Completely away from his face.

"Come home with Danny, any day and I'll top the dye up for free." She offered, Dougie nodded completely thankful, maybe some of the teasing might stop now.

"Thanks." Dougie got up and left the car, and so did Danny. "What are you doing?"

"It's eleven at night, at this place of town, you are fourteen, Dougie. What do you think I'm doing? I'm walking you home." Danny grabbed Dougie's hand. "Just to make sure we don't get separated."

When Danny left him at the door he enveloped him in a hug. "Thanks for making my first day bearable."

"Any day." Dougie waved, as Danny left, waiting until his car passed to go in. Going in, his Mum was at the door in seconds.

"Where have you been, it's nearly midnight, you think staying out this late is acceptable. And what have you done to your hair?" She shouted.

"I, I, I'm sorry. I was with this guy I met at work, his Mum's a hair dresser, I just sorry." He rambled.

"You've made a friend?" She sounded shocked.

"Thank mum, and yes, I say I've made three." Dougie smeared.

"Oh, sweetie that's fab." She hugged him.

This school year could only get better.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: don't own,Tom girlfriend isn't Giovanna because Giovanna's too lovely for this.  
_

The next Sunday Dougie was at work, with Danny still following what he did learning how to do stuff. Danny was nice, very dopey and often confused, but never said a mean word to him. Harry was fine, completely infatuated with Tom, he was all Harry ever spoke about, however Tom had no idea, completely wrapped up in his girlfriend Emily to care. Emily was weird and secretive, always disappearing then yelling at Tom for it later.

"Dougie wait up!" Danny called after Dougie who was just entering the store, he promptly stopped for Danny to catch up. "I was wondering if you wanna come round tonight, you know top your hair dye p and stuff." Danny blushed

"Sure, I'm up for whenever." Dougie nodded, even though he saw Harry and Tom more, he was closer to Danny, they knew more about each other even if Danny was a year older and from a different school, with Tom and Harry it was all school work and exams with Danny it was about everything and anything else, Danny never really spoke about school but Dougie didn't ask any questions. They went in and got to wrok, stacking shelves, before Dougie pulled Danny behind a fridge to hide.

"Dude, what?" Danny practically yelled.

"Shhh, Emily, my friend Tom's girlfriend. Look!" Dougie pointed at Emily, her arm around some other boys waist, not any other boys, Aaron's. "Aaron, I should've know."

"Whose Aaron" Danny asked confused.

"My bully." Dougie stated, watching as Emily kissed Aaron, did she have no self respect. What if Tom had been here instead of Dougie?

"Dude, you get bullied, no. You have to make them stop." Danny said sympathetically.

"No time for the 'fight back' speech." Dougie waved his hand in Danny's face nearly hitting him. "I have to speak to Tom tonight, I can't come round tonight, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." Danny sighed downheartedly.

"You could come to mine, but you know, school tomorrow." Dougie replied.

"It's fine, I can miss school for one day right?" Danny laughed.

"Are you sure your mum won't mind?" Dougie asked one last time.

"Positive." Danny reassured, as they turned back Emily and Aaron had gone. They finished their shift luckily getting off at the same time, walking home together, Dougie talking about his fascination with space, as Danny pointed at the stars.

"What about that one?" Danny asked, blushing, thankful it was dark as his and Dougie's hand brushed for the thousandth time, he really wanted to grab him hand and hold it.

"I don't know every start." Dougie rolled his eyes.

"I never knew you were bullied." Danny stated.

"Not something I like to dwell on." Dougie shrugged.

"I guess, I don't like to think of you getting bullied." Danny resisted the urge to move closer.

"It's not that bad anymore, I have friends now. Anyway are you saying you never get slightly teased." Dougie made light of the situations.

"No, I dropped out." Danny said nonchalantly.

"What!?" Dougie inquired shocked.

"I got picked on a lot for who I am, and who I like. I ended up losing my temper, put three in hospital." Danny carried on like it was nothing.

"Whoa." Was all Dougie said, slightly scared of the elder, knowing he had the power to put people in hospital.

"Don't worry, I'm not that violent, but after three years of it I snapped." Danny explained.

"But you're Danny, you're all nice hair, and you're just you." Dougie rambled.

"Thank you! I'm just me. But once you cut all the girls out who think you adorable, they all hate you, the boys just think it's disgusting didn't want me near them, thinking it was wrong and perverse like I'd try and touch them, or stare at them while they were changing." Danny ranted.

"Your gay?" Dougie asked, trying to clear up his confusion.

"Yeah, I guess." Danny shrugged. "Go on. Run. Get as far away from me as possible, go tell your friends about me like I'm some sort of animal." Danny went to turn, ready for Dougie to leave.

"Why would I? You're still you, still Danny." Dougie smiled, as Danny turned back round.

"Really?" Danny asked shocked.

"Really. Why would I think of anything less of you?" Dougie reassured. "Come on, no more stopping and starting we need to tell Tom before she hurts him even more." Dougie just tugged at Danny's hand, pulling him down the road, Danny's hand resting in Dougie's, nothing intimate but it made Danny blush, thankful it was night time. It was crazy how much he'd fallen for the blonde in the space of a week and a half, it was scary how oblivious Dougie was to it.

Arriving home quickly Danny took of his shoes, which made Dougie laugh. "Dude, you're too polite." Dougie laughed as they went upstairs to Dougie's room, not waking Jazzie, as they went. Dougie's mum came out though.

"Oh, hello, I'm Sam, you must be either Tom, Harry or Danny." She shook Danny's hand.

"Danny, I'm Danny."

"That's lovely, Dougie talks about you a lot." She smiled, "Not up too late." She turned.

"Mum, I need to invite Tom round as well, which means Harry will probably tag along." Dougie explained.

"That's fine."

Danny and Dougie went to Dougie's room, Dougie called Tom who said he'd be here shortly, Harry then called saying he'd come as well, just as Dougie expected. Harry arrived first as they were waiting for Tom, as Tom arrived, Danny went to make drinks, doing the best he could in someone Else's house, coming upstairs with fours tea's.

"Tom," Dougie started, "I'm sorry, but tonight, I was on shift and I saw Emily."

"Okay." Tom shrugged.

"With her arms around Aaron, and then she kissed him." Dougie winced as he told Tom waiting for some sort of outburst, but he just stood there nodding.

"What?" He yelled, after a while, the news obviously sinking in.

"Well that's it then, break up with her, she doesn't deserve you." Harry ranted.

"Harry. Shut up, just because you want to fuck me, doesn't mean you make all my fucking decisions." Tom reprimanded, but Harry got up to grab his coat. "Harry I'm sorry, I was angry." Maybe Tom wasn't all that oblivious to Harry's constant staring

"No your right, I'll stay out of your way." Harry said coldly not even looking at Tom and Dougie and Danny sat wide eyed on the bed at the out burst that had just happened, hearing the front door slam, Tom groaned.

"Great, now as well as a cheating girlfriend I've fucked that up." Tom moaned, lying down on the bed.

"I'm sorry." Danny started.

"who are you? Where have you come from?" Tom questioned, looking up incredulously at the face above him.

"He'd Danny, he's from work." Dougie informed, as Danny waved to Tom, making Tom chuckle slightly.

"I've got to break up with her." Tom heaved himself off the bed and grabbed his coat, "thanks for telling me."

"Anytime." Dougie shrugged as Tom kissed him on the head, he looked at Tom like a father figure of course, Tom being seventeen was older and wiser.

"Well that was eventful." Danny sighed lying back on the bed, head resting on the headboard.

"You can stay tonight, if you want... Stop your mum coming out, or you walking.. If you want?" Dougie rambled.

"Yeah, thanks, I've got nothing to do tomorrow, trying to get a job with zero GCSEs that actually gets you some where's hard, but I'm trying." Danny shrugged.

"Yeah, any idea what you want to do?" Dougie asked, joining Danny next to him, cramped on single bed.

"Not really, I can play the guitar but that won't lead anywhere, need other people for that. No other people around be that can play instruments." Danny groaned.

"I play a bit of bass, I had to sell it, pay rent and stuff, but yeah, and Tom plays guitar. Harry plays the trumpet but it was mainly to just impress tom, he'd more into cricket." Dougie discussed.

"That's cool, shame about your bass, but cool about Tom, it'll probably lead no where, but we could see whether he's up for a music session." Danny yawned.

"Yeah I guess. Just don't make a move on Tom, Harry'll kill you." Dougie warned, laughing afterwards.

"My hands are firmly off Tom." Danny chuckled raising his hands up.

"We should probably sleep." Dougie snuggled into the duvet, before getting up chucking pajamas at Danny that hit him straight in the face.

"Ow." Danny stated.

"Can't sleep in your uniform." Dougie laughed, motioning for Danny to get changed.

"You don't mind getting changed in front of me?" Danny asked like it was something new.

"No, why should I?" Dougie asked warily.

"No reason, just a lot of people usually don't, you'no gay and all." Danny informed.

"No you can look at my butt all you want." Dougie joked, as Danny went scarlet red. "Dude, I was joking calm down."

"Yeah right." Danny nodded.

"You can sleep in the bed if you want." Dougie offered, "I don't mind, plus the floor is horrible." Dougie looked down at the carpet, completely covered with what ever.

"You sure?"

"Danny just get in the bed." Dougie complained.

"For someone who ain't gay you're very eager to get me in your bed." Danny laughed.

Dougie just joined in with the laughter before getting in next to him, it was very cramped in a single bed with two grown teenagers. After rolling around trying to get comfortable, they still weren't.

"Lie on your side." Dougie stated, doing the same himself.

"This is comfortable, for everything but my arms." Danny flailed them around in the air, proving his point.

"Here." Dougie stated wrapping Danny's arms around his waist. "Better, now sleep." Danny couldn't believe his luck, being wrapped up in Dougie, Dougie was still oblivious. He could hear Dougie's breath shallow as he fell asleep, before wrapping his arms tighter around Dougie, smelling his hair. If this was the only night he got to be like this he would take it. As Dougie relaxed, he relaxed onto Danny's chest leaning on Danny. Danny couldn't smile wider, Dougie and him wrapped up together, Dougie in a little world of his own. Danny hugging him keeping him safe from what ever could possible harm him, falling slowly into sleep, Danny kissed Dougie's head, shifting slightly, Dougie now lead back down, half on Danny half on the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Don't own the little shits _

"Tom and Harry haven't spoken in months." A now fifteen year old Dougie groaned to Danny as they were stacking shelves on a Friday night. Of course, they had been civil for Dougie's birthday party, but they'd rarely spoken of their own accord.

"Maybe they need to fall apart, to fall together stronger." Danny mumbled, trying to make Dougie feel better, he was obviously worried about his friends.

"I just wish they would hurry up and fall back together." Dougie moaned, turning round to stack the chocolate, as Danny pretended to look busy next to him.

"You, Poynter." Tom's ex Emily hissed.

"Yes." He snapped.

"That's no way to talk to customers." She pouted.

"Sorry, yes." He replied sarcastically.

"Listen," She started, moving towards Dougie, grabbing his uniform. "You better watch out, I could have you finished, here and at school,so next time you think you see whatever keep your mouth shut."

"Excuse me Mam. We'd like you to leave the premises." Dougie manager stood next to him as she released Dougie, with a shocked look. Danny with a smug look on his face behind him. His manager then continued to escort Emily off the site.

"Slut." Danny put emphasis on the T.

"Right, thanks for that." Dougie shook his head and carried on stacking shelves.

"You could get her done for that." Danny ran around to the other side of Dougie to get his attention.

"Yes, then have the bulling restart at school, that's a fab idea. Use your microscopic brain Danny." Dougie tapped his head.

The next few weeks went simply, Tom and Harry were still ignoring each other, much to Harry's disrepute he just wanted them to be friends again, so much so, it lead to Harry, Danny and Dougie sat round Harry's house trying to come up with a plan to get Tom and Harry at least friends again.

"I just want to be friends, at least." Harry groaned, to himself.

"Well then, let us think of a plan." Dougie sat down with popcorn, focusing really on the movie that was playing. "Come on Danny we might actually get your brain working for once."

"What's Tom's strengths and weakness?" Danny asked, stealing some popcorn from Dougie, just to have his hand batted away.

"He's insanely good at guitar, he's cute, friendly. perfect, breath taking-" Harry rambled.

"Harry, snap out of it." Dougie clicked his fingers in front of Harry's face.

"Weakness?" Danny asked.

"Nothing." Harry stated.

"Oh come on, he's a jealous little fucker, he wants what he can't have, hence why he keeps going back to Emily, he's also a sucker for Disney." Dougie explained to Danny.

"Jealous, that's good." Danny went into his own little world, Harry and Dougie sitting up, to see what was going on. "You say he's always going back Emily because he's with someone else right?"

"Yeah, what about it. That's not going to work with us, I'm friends with Dougie and he doesn't seem to care." Harry sighed, stealing some of Dougie's popcorn and slipping in between Danny and Dougie.

"Hey back off my popcorn, all of you." Dougie reprimanded.

"Right, anyway. Maybe not for friends, but Boyfriend, if you had a boyfriend, Tom would be straight on your case. Why hadn't you told him? Why didn't he know first? Did you even tell him you were gay? Because you obviously are." Danny explained.

"That's true, but who am I going to find to be a fake boyfriend.?" Harry sighed. To which Danny smiled.

"Me." He simply stated.

"You? Are you even gay?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yes, good plan. Ay? Dougie." Danny asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, great, fake boyfriend. That's really going to work." Dougie made fun of Danny's plan. "You and Harry, please Tom's never going to believe it."

"Come on Dougie, it's a great plan." Harry encouraged.

"I guess, but all I'm saying is either you, Harry or Tom is gonna get hurt." Dougie stated. Rolling over into his set up bed. He didn't like the thought of Danny and Harry, they were just so different. He didn't want Danny or Harry getting hurt when they eventually fell for each other when the other didn't. Dougie sighed, everything was going to get so complex now. He'd have to watch two of his best friends snog, and know it meant nothing. Just a way to get back at Tom. And now Dougie was going to be pushed from Danny into Tom, Danny would leave him for Danny, and he'd be left with Tom. He didn't want Danny to leave him.

"Why don't you like the plan?" Danny asked, getting onto the cramped blow up bed with Dougie, much to Dougie's surprise.

"Because, it's stupid, one of you is going to get hurt. One of you will fall for the other and the other one won't. Then one will be mending a broken heart and the other won't. We're going to be split up into two's and I don't want that." Dougie rambled.

"I won't let that happen, it's only until Tom starts to like Harry again, then it'll be all over." Danny reassured.

"Fine." Dougie huffed, he just waned the plan scrapped and for it to never have been said, why'd he have to stated Tom's flaws, why couldn't he had let Harry carry on being all goo goo eyed.

"If you won't let me inside you head and understand why you hate it so much. Because I know that's not it. Then I'm going to my own bed." Danny started to leave.

"No." Dougie grabbed Danny's T-shirt. "We are not arguing like they are. I'm not letting this friendship break over something so petty. I don't like the plan, I don't want to tell you why, therefore everything's good. Like you said it won't happen for long." Dougie pulled Danny back down to bed.

The next day, all four of them met at the park, like they always did on a Saturday. Tom sat on the swings next to Dougie, everything was going according to plan.

"Where's Danny, he always comes with you?" Tom asked, starting to sway gently.

"He's coming with his new boyfriend Harry." Dougie smeared a hint of truth in the hurtful tone. He didn't know why he hated it so much, he just did, it wasn't right.

"Danny's gay that's interesting." Tom's eyebrows raised, it was working.

"Yeah, they were all friends last night, woke up this morning with them snogging each other." Dougie played his part. As Danny and Harry walked into the park hand in hand, just the way they were linked made Dougie want to throw up the contense of his stomach.

"Hi, Tom, Dougie." Harry greeted, it made Dougie's fingers crawl, just wanting to get him off Danny, knowing Harry was using him, he was too good to be used.

"Hi, heard about you two, congrats." Tom smiled, the first polite words he'd offered to Harry in ages.

"Yeah," Harry approved, smiling at Danny lovingly. Dougie hadn't realised he was scowling at the pair until Tom nudged him and whispered to him to be happy for them.

"Are you two happy together?" Tom asked, Danny smirked knowing it was working.

"Very." Danny smiled. Lies. Lies. Lies. Was all Dougie could think, writhing underneath his skin, he hated.

"I've got to go." Dougie surprised himself when he stood up to leave, Danny scowling at him. Oh no, Dougie was ruining his perfect little plan. "Talk to you later Tom, bye." Dougie didn't even bother to wave, walking off down the gravely path.

"Dougie, what even was that?" Danny yelled, halfway down the road.

"What was what?" Dougie turned and shouted back.

"That. Back there. You don't like the plan, just play along with it, we're all in this for Harry." Danny spoke angrily.

"Yeah, well, Maybe I don't like the thought of lying to one of out best friends. Maybe just maybe I'm in the right for once, maybe you should just quit while your ahead. Because no matter what happens, Harry and Tom's relationship will always be built on lies if we, you carry on like this." Dougie didn't seem to mind causing a public disturbance.

"Maybe you need to lighten up, maybe then thing will go right for once, just like they didn't with your family." Danny regretted the words as soon as they came out, the biting feeling of wanting the ground to swallow him up and apologize to Dougie all at the same time, the horrible swirling he got in his gut as tears started to swell in Dougie's eyes. Dougie noticeably clenching his jaw to stop them from falling.

"Maybe we shouldn't speak until this whole thing is over, or possibly longer." Dougie turned, letting the tears fall as he walked away. He'd never expected that. Danny was the only one he had ever trusted with his family situation, and now he had just throw Dougie's trust right back in his face. Danny didn't even try and run after him this time, just letting him walk away like he should've done the first time. The gut clenching feeling that Danny had just lost his best friend, his crush, no, it was more than a crush now, the love of his life. Was sixteen too young to know that? Danny didn't care, either way he'd just lost him.

Dougie got home, running up to his room, slamming the door behind him before collapsing behind it, tears still falling. He'd lost everyone he'd ever had. Tom wouldn't want to speak to him now, after that. Harry wouldn't he would be ruining his plan. And Danny he didn't want to talk to him now, he'd just taken Dougie's trust and thrown it away, Danny had practically said it was Dougie's fault his Dad left. Feeling that return of emptiness in his stomach, head, mind and heart. Dougie just got into bed, he had Danny's jumper on, he took it off and threw it on the floor somewhere, it would probably just turn into the pile of mix matched clothes in his room. He didn't want a reminder of the two who were lying, and Tom probably would want answers out of him that Dougie didn't even know the answers to.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: Don't own, I added two chapter's yesterday, you may not have seen them both._

"You really dislike the, don't you?" Tom asked, laying down next to Dougie as he lead on the trampoline in Danny's back garden. Dougie made a noise in the back of his throat to show Tom he was acknowledged. "You homophobic or something?"

"No, just, bit awkward being around them when all they do is kiss, and be all in love and shit." Dougie complained, he knew this was the plan, to make Tom jealous, but he felt like it was working more on him than anyone. He didn't want Danny or Harry, he just didn't want them together.

"I guess, wish Harry had told me." Tom complained, looking downheartedly at Harry, it was working.

"Well, you hadn't spoken in months what did you expect?" Dougie asked, playing along nicely. Him and Danny hadn't spoken, well they had, acted like it never happen, but it still run over in Dougie's head, what he said, he hated thinking it was his fault. He hadn't purposely annoyed his dad, he was just himself, maybe that wasn't good enough, Dougie didn't know, but it hurt.

"I guess, I dunno, I only ever knew he was gay because he used to stare and make it a bit obvious." Tom chuckled at the memories.

"We all thought you were oblivious to it." Dougie laughed.

"No, just trying not to make happen what happened, too late I guess. I thought he'd always have feelings for me." Tom replied.

"Well, you give him enough room and those feelings will leave." Dougie answered, it was the truth, if Harry and Danny carried on like this they would fall for each other. This plan had been going on for almost three months, going as far as telling their parents, kissing, Harry even stayed at Danny's house over Christmas, much to Dougie's dismay. It was now April, Danny and Harry had turned seventeen.

"Yeah, should've thought things through." Tom nodded, looking at the couple wound in each others arms, kissing. Making Dougie inwardly hiss, wanting to pull them apart.

"Are you trying to tell me you liked or like Harry?" Dougie finally thought through what Tom has said.

"Eh, I guess, I mean nothing enough to act on, but I like the fact he liked me, or that I could, if I wanted, had him. I kinda miss that, I mean, if you and Danny weren't such great friends, I'd probably tell Harry to break up with him. Is that bad?" Tom asked incredulously.

"A little. Why don't you instead of that. And you don't tell Danny about this, ever, but just try and get close to Harry again, maybe his feelings will come back." Dougie offered.

"Maybe." Tom scowled, at the now heated kiss before him. "I wish they'd stop."

"Right, bye babe." Harry kissed Danny again, making Dougie's insides churn with disgust. "I've got to get home, see you." Harry waved. Dougie prodded Tom in the side showing him it was his time to act.

"Yeah, wait up Harry, I've gotta go too." Tom ran to catch up with Harry as Danny joined Dougie on the trampoline.

"I did what you wanted, I've told Tom to try and get close to him again. Happy now." Dougie asked disinterested.

"If you want to know, yes." Danny replied just as shortly.

"Good, I'm going now." Dougie lifted himself off the trampoline, clumsily, reaching the fabric outline.

"When did we become strangers?" Danny asked, catching his foot round Dougie's. "Because I don't like it."

"We've been strangers for a while now Danny." Dougie stated unhooking his foot from Danny's.

"Well, can it stop. Can't we just be like we used to, just us." Danny looked sadly at Dougie.

"What do you expect to happen, to forget everything, all the little digs, all the petty looks, all the times you've ditched me to be with Harry." Dougie asked incredulously.

"Maybe, instead of bitching to each other we could actually talk to each other like adults." Danny offered.

"Maybe, but I don't want to. Soon as this plan is over and done with, fine, maybe, but I can't look or talk to you, while I know you're kissing Harry, touching Harry, and you don't mean any of it. All of his and Tom's relationship will be built of lies if you don't stop. What kind of relationship is that?" Dougie started to shout.

"It's nearly over now, I'm sure Harry'll tell Tom the truth." Danny sat up, arguing back.

"No! He won't, it won't come up until later along the line. By that point Tom won't be able to trust Harry if he knows he's been lied to all the way along." Dougie ranted.

"Why do you fucking hate it that much?" Danny stood up somewhat wobbly, grabbing Dougie's arm trying to stop him from leaving. In doing so, he lost his balance falling over, pulling Dougie with him. Laughter soon falling from both of their lips, Dougie falling on top of Danny as Danny bounced.

"see, I want it to be easy again, like this." Dougie admitted.

"It can be, you're the one making it difficult." Danny rolled Dougie off of him, too close, to dangerous. Danny's feelings, despite kissing Harry, hadn't gone away. He was merely helping Harry, it still meant nothing to Danny. Dougie was still the one he'd spend a night with if he had his way, Dougie was still the one he'd like to fall asleep with in his arms. Dougie was still his everything, he hated doing the plan, but Harry was too excited and happy to back out. If he knew how sad it made Dougie he wouldn't of even suggested it, he never wanted to hurt Dougie, right now, he was trying to keep everyone happy, and failing miserably. He wished it could be like the old days, Tom and Harry, friends again, him and Dougie friends, but he couldn't see that anytime in the near future.

"Dougie, do you want dinner?" Danny's mum asked startling both Danny and Dougie from their thoughts. Dougie looked up at Danny, not to sure how to answer.

"Uh, if that's okay." Dougie answered after a while.

"Of course Darling, you know I don't mind." Danny's mum left again.

"You know, I hate everything with Harry just as much as you do." Danny admitted, looking down at Dougie who was led on his arm, using it as a pillow.

"Really funny way of showing it." Dougie scoffed.

"Dougie..." Danny started trying to stop this before Dougie got even more annoyed.

"Don't _Dougie _me." He cut him off.

"Please, I just want a normal conversation, with no arguing, just us, like we used to be." Danny finished. "I do hate it, I really do. I never knew it would annoy you so much, I was just trying to help Harry. But in doing so I'm annoying you, I'm just trying to keep everyone happy and failing miserably."

"I'm sorry, I don't want to make things difficult. I just don't like it, it's all lies." Dougie admitted. "I hate lies, it starts with lies and secrets, then, then, you wake up one morning and your Dad's left, and your Mum's crying, and you have no idea what to do." Dougie rambled, being brought into a hug by Danny as he continued. "And I don't want us to fall apart. I want all of us to continue being friends, and it's never going to happen if it carried on."

"Everything will be fine, I'm sure it will." Danny reassured, pulling Dougie up, getting of the trampoline.

"Where are you taking me?" Dougie asked.

"Out, we're going to a place I used to go to, ages ago. I stopped late last year." Danny told Dougie, taking Dougie to the front door, motioning him to get his shoes.

"Okay, I'm confused." Dougie got up, ready to go.

"We're going out, save dinner for a while." Danny shouted, slamming the door behind him. They took a while to get to the park, it was just the park they usually went to, until Danny went passed some trees, taking some of the branches that had grown over the gate Danny opened his arms up to show the gate.

"Okay, it's a gate." Dougie smiled, confused.

"Not any gate, this gate is where I used to come late at night, behind this gate, this is where everything would be okay after..." Danny drifted off seemingly hurt with whatever he was going to say.

"Open it then." Dougie offered, snapping Danny out of his revery. Danny opened the door, and behind lied a field, a small field, but big enough for a couple of people, maybe for a couple houses, but nothing too big. Danny pulled him up a hill, sitting on top of the hill. Danny pulled Dougie to sit next to him.

"I like it here, everything's calm, I used to come here every night." Danny smiled, laying down.

"What made you stop?" Dougie asked, laying down, resting on Danny's arm.

"I met you, I guess I didn't feel the need anymore." Danny admitted, as Dougie sat up, patting around behind him. "What's wrong?"

"There's something hard in the ground, it's digging into my back." Dougie continued before pulling up what looked to be a jewelry box, big enough for a ring or maybe a necklace.

"Give it." Danny panicked, sitting up snatching at the box in Dougie's hands.

"Why? What is it?" Dougie held it out further.

"Just give it, it's meant to stay hidden, I didn't want you or _anyone _to find it." Danny tried to grab it again.

"Tell me what it is and I'll give it." Dougie held it further away.

"No, just stop. Just give it, it's not for anyone else's eyes. It's not for you, it's only for me, I haven't used them in months." Danny broke down, starting to cry.

"Danny." Dougie's tone changed, a sympathetic tone. "I'm not going to open it, I promise, you don't want me to. But please tell me what it is."

"I can't, no, I mustn't. Please put them back, leave them alone." Danny sniffed.

"Okay, Danny calm down, here, have it." Dougie handed it back to Danny who was now wiping his eyes, as tears welled and fell from his eyes.

"Thank you." Danny quietened down and hid the small box back in the hole underneath the mud.

"It's fine, I guess, what even is in that box Danny?" Dougie asked, honestly wanting to know, whatever he kept in that box was enough to make Danny panic to high hell.

"Nothing, just, nothing. Leave it, don't speak of it, I don't do that now, I don't need them anymore." Danny rambled more to himself than anything.

"Okay, I just want to know. But it doesn't matter." Dougie's hand curled loosely round Danny's wrist.

"I." Was all Danny said before going silent, rolling over. They led in comfortable silence until Dougie heard Danny sniffling, crying to himself.

"Don't cry, please don't cry." Dougie softened, and Danny rolled back to look at him.

"I'm not." He smiled through watery eyes.

"You are, I never meant to upset you, I just wanted to know, you know I never kept anything from you, but if it upsets you that much it doesn't matter." Dougie reassured, hand loosely curled around Danny's wrist.

"If I tell you, you won't tell anyone, right? Like not even my mum, I don't want her to know, I don't want Harry or Tom to know." Danny asked, still panicked.

"I won't tell, I promise, but don't feel pressured into telling me." Dougie nodded.

"I don't. Find the box again." Danny said more to himself. Dougie pulled the box from underneath the mud that Danny had hidden it under. "Open it." He commanded, watching Dougie's face screw up in confusion before realisation took over his face. Dougie looked at the trinket box, a range of staples to full razor blades where in the box, some still had blood on them.

"Danny.." Dougie faded.

"Sorry." Danny apologized, hiding his head in his knees.

"You didn't." Dougie started, before he heard Danny burst into tears. "Hey, it's fine. Shhh, everything's fine."

"I, it, I, just everyone." Danny stuttered. "I don't anymore."

"I know." Dougie hugged Danny.

"It was just, just, so hard. Everyone, everyone, day in, day out, they didn't stop. And I couldn't keep it all inside anymore. It just sort of, it started small, hence staples, like scratches. And when I got used to that, I could do anything, I started getting bigger and bigger blades, stealing them from work, using them instead." Danny rambled, finally pulling away from Dougie.

"It's fine, thanks for telling me." Dougie felt honored this time a year ago he could've only dreamt of three good friends he had now, and earlier on he was think of getting rid of two of them.

"Like you said, no secrets." Danny nodded. "Everything's out now."

"I've, um, I.." Dougie stuttered unsure how to word it.

"You've never seen any scars." Danny finished, knew this was coming. "They're always hidden by my boxers, I was very cunning, if I do say so myself, in making sure that nobody ever saw them."

"Oh, okay." Dougie nodded unsure of what to say.

"That's why the thought of an actually _relationship_ terrifies me, someday someone will have to see them, they'll have to see them, and they'll be disgusted and leave." Danny winced at the thought.

"If they truly loved you, they wouldn't care, they would think they were beautiful as well." Dougie smiled, at the little smile that appear on Danny's face.

"We should probably get going." Danny brushed himself down.

"Yeah." Dougie got up, sliding the box into his pocket, he wasn't leaving it here, what if he slipped, he was sure Danny was strong enough now, but still. "Have I got mud on my back?"

"Well, not back but on your butt." Danny was unsure whether to crush it off or not.

"Just get rid of it." Dougie smiled, more to himself, Danny was still so unsure of himself. They walked back to Danny's house quietly, it was dark, back to Danny's old routine of asked Dougie about the stars.

"That one."

"It's linked to Jupiter, it's meant to be a moon of his, but I believe it's too close to Saturn." Dougie explained. "It's cold."

"It is, I thought it was meant to be spring." Danny complained, huddling up to Dougie. As they reached Danny's door, Dougie looked unsure of what to day or say. "Do you want to stay? Like old times? Just thought." Danny stumbled over his words.

"Oh Danny, what would Harry say?" Dougie joked.

"It really doesn't matter." Danny replied sarcastically.

When they were ready for bed, Danny in full length pajamas and Dougie in one of Danny's old shirts, some hideous red check shirt. Danny getting into bed next to Dougie, Danny had a fancy double bed, with pillars and everything. Dougie felt quite grand in a humungous bed, but Danny was so far away, only a couple times they'd shared a bed, but everything it was either at Harry's house on a miniscule blow up bed, pressed together. Or in Dougie's bed, a little more room but still touching. It felt so weird knowing Danny was so close, yet to Dougie it felt so far away.

"This is weird." Dougie finally said out loud.

"Oh, thank God." Danny sighed. "Thought it was just me."

"No, definitely weird." Dougie nodded, before realising Danny couldn't see him.

"Hug?" Danny asked, Dougie just shuffled over, resting his head on Danny's chest, arms winding round Danny's waist.

"Yeah." Dougie finally breathed. Danny's arms now resting on his back, Danny's chin on his head. Drifting to a more comfortable sleep than he'd had in months.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: Do NOt own_

"Danny, Danny, Danny, Danny." was heard along with heavy footed foot steps running up the stairs. Dougie groaned and tried to break out of Danny's grip he'd kept on Dougie all night.

"Go back to sleep I'll deal with him." Danny murmured as he maneuvered Dougie to the middle of the bed, running his hand up Dougie's side kissing him on top of the head. Dougie couldn't deny the butterflies that took flight in his stomach, or the disappointment as his hand left. Danny tucked Dougie in before leaving his room, seeing Harry just about to knock on the door. "Shh, Dougie's trying to sleep." Danny warned, walking downstairs with Harry right behind him.

"Dougie stayed here last night? I thought you guys weren't speaking?" Harry asked completely bewildered in the turn of events.

"We weren't we've sorted it. What did you want?" Danny asked half asleep still.

"Good! I think we may only need to do the planny thing for like a week more. Tom's being really lovely and adorable and awww I love that boy." Harry swooned, yep he was still infatuated by Tom.

"Great, Dougie will be happy to hear that." Danny nodded, taking in what Harry was saying.

"So, I think to make it more believable we need to, stop kissing in front of Tom, maybe start having a few arguments. Otherwise it's going to look like, all lovey dovey one day and ruined the next, bit suspicious" Harry told Danny, as the door upstairs slammed, and shuffling was heard.

"Okay, yeah I'm cool with whatever, as long as you and Tom are friends again I'm happy." Danny reassured. Dougie turned the corner to the living room, wrapped up in the duvet, his head sticking out of the top, still half asleep. "Morning."

"Mhh, sleepy, your loud." Dougie complained, throwing himself down on the sofa, still wrapped in the duvet, leaning on Danny's arm, leg sprawled out on the other end of the sofa.

"Sorry, only a couple weeks left of the plan." Danny informed Dougie.

"Good, no more lies." Dougie started to drift back in to sleep.

"Nope, no more." Danny smiled as Dougie slept comfortably next to him, maneuvering his arm so he could play with Dougie's hair. He hadn't put gel in it today so the blonde hair was soft and covering his eyes.

**Fag, gay, prick **

Written in black permanent marker over Danny's locker. The new year, Danny had joined Dougie's school after persuasion from Dougie. Danny and Harry were in their final year, Tom had left and Dougie was in year ten.

"Fabulous." Danny sighed, getting some wet cloth from the toilets and rubbing it off.

"Ignore it, or try to." Dougie came up behind him making Danny jump. The plan was still going on, a couple weeks had gone on longer than they both planned, Dougie still didn't like it, and of course the people at school had figured out.

"I'm trying, not as easy as it seems Dougie." Danny snapped.

"I know, trust me I know." Dougie sympathized in using Danny as a target they'd finally left Dougie alone. The writing on lockers, the bulling, the harsh word, they'd been going on for about two months now, and Danny had had enough.

"You want to come round tonight?" Dougie asked, "You know, after work."

"No, I've got to go out." Danny excused himself.

After work, Dougie followed him, knowing, just from his face when he had said it he was lying. Following Danny pretty much all the way home, but Danny carried on walking, all the way to the gate. Pushing the gate open, Dougie watched as Danny climbed to the top of the hill, and started digging.

"No, no no, where are they? Where are they?" Danny shouted into the night sky, still unaware that Dougie was watching. Dougie rattled his pocket, of course he had them with him, he carried them around just to make sure that Danny didn't find them and take them back. Dougie picked up the box from his pocket, started to climb up the hill and chucked the box along the ground to where Danny was still digging.

"There." Dougie pointed to where they had landed, finally making himself known. Danny went as white as a sheet, even in the night sky Dougie could tell.

"Urh, thanks." Danny stuttered.

"I've had them the past six months, you haven't needed them. I'm proud." Dougie smiled, joining Danny on the ground.

"I know, it get's hard you know. The constant hate that gets projected towards me just because of my sexuality." Danny admitted.

"I know, but you have three awesome friends that love you." Dougie reassured, handing Danny the box from behind him.

"No, you have them, it's better if you have them." Danny dropped them in Dougie's hand, the jangle was horrifying to Danny. "It's scary you know." Danny started, and Dougie kept quiet because he didn't "How, I used to rely on them, they were to make sure I felt something, just to make sure I could still feel. Then you happened, I just stopped. It was so easy like I just met you that night and then, I didn't need to jump out the window, run away to here, I didn't need to cut." Dougie smiled, just the thought of helping someone that much was adorable to him.

"How did you know you were gay?" Dougie wanted to know the answer, sure Dougie had always thought himself as straight, he'd had a crush on Mandy who sat next to him in English for three years. But then when Danny and Harry where kissing in front of him, surely a straight person wouldn't of gotten that fussed by it like he had.

"Long story, there was this guy, I was best friends with him, completely lost in him. Then I realized then it was more than friendship I was only young thirteen, I went to tell him I liked completely shut me down, expected I guess, but still horrible. He was the reason the bullying started, he told everyone that at one of our sleepovers I'd touched him, I hadn't but it was his word against mine, and his won." Danny explained

"That's horrible." Dougie lent on Danny's shoulder, eyes closing slowly. "What would you do, if I said, I think I might be gay?" Dougie asked apprehensively.

"I'd say you were crazy, then I'd say, good on you. And finally I'd tell you to keep in as close to your chest as possible, don't tell people, Harry and Tom, they're fine, no one else, I don't want you hurt like I was." Danny smiled, looking back at Dougie before kissing the top of his head still resting his shoulder. "What about that star?" Danny suddenly asked, Dougie opening his eyes, stopping himself from drifting back off to sleep.

"That's our star." Dougie stated, as Danny looked confusedly at him. "Where ever we are, we look up, and we see that star and we know that we're safe, okay?"

"Okay." Danny nodded, finally laying down, Dougie lying down with him. "I want everything with Harry over, I just wish he's hurry up and end it, I mean, I don't want to be a dick and end it, but I just wish it was over."

"I know." Dougie nodded, resting his head on his arm, he kept briefly looking over at Danny before darting his eyes back. "What would you say?" Dougie started, exhaling loudly. "What would you say, if I said, I was only gay for you?" Dougie finished, sitting up, sighing in relief. Danny looked at him wide eyes, out of all the things he had expect Dougie to say, it certainly hadn't been that.

"I would say," Danny hesitated. "What?" That certainly wasn't the outcome Dougie was expecting, he didn't really know what he was expecting, maybe a hug, a declaration of feelings followed by them falling asleep in each others arms, or maybe even a slap, but not that.

"I uh, nothing." Dougie stuttered, getting up.

"No, don't just leave after that, explain, I need to know. You can't just tell me something like that and leave." Danny pulled at Dougie until he finally sat back down.

"Just, I don't know. Just like when you and Harry touch and hug and kiss," Dougie cringed. "I just want to pull you apart and tell him to get off you, that he don't deserve you. I guess that's why I was so annoyed and disliked the plan, it just made me hate everything about it. I just wanted you to stop." Dougie admitted.

"I knew it wasn't just because of the lies." Danny smirked, Dougie smiling inwardly as well. "Well in that case, we need to improve our hiding skills."

"Huh?" Dougie asked confused.

"Well, I'm meant to be with Harry, so we can't have either of them finding out we're together." Danny's coy smile joined his lips for the first time tonight.

"Oh, I see. Wait! You like me back?" Dougie's gin couldn't have gotten bigger.

"Dougie, I always talk about how you stopped me self harming, that's true. You helped me feel again, you helped me remind me love was there. Ever since we met I knew there was something more, for me at least. Now it just shows me you reciprocated the feelings." Danny hugged Dougie.

"Stop using big words Danny it doesn't suit you." Dougie laughed, shifting to sit in between Danny's legs.

"Very funny, can I say something else about your feelings towards me?" Danny asked.

"Sure." Dougie looked confused at Danny.

"Kiss me." And Dougie didn't need telling twice, turning round, kissing Danny slowly, there was no rush, no need to progress the kiss, there was no _special_ moment, there was no _fireworks _it was a simple first kiss, just them.


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: Never owning mcfly_

"I've got to look after Jazzie this week, mum's off for some work training or something." Dougie shrugged, walking down the road, resisting the urge to hold Danny's hand, Tom was back from college for a week this week so they could be spotted by him any second.

"That's cool, I could stay round and help if you wanted." Danny offered, Dougie and Danny had now been together a few weeks, Tom was back for Dougie's birthday and the winter holidays, as Tom got so much more time than the other. Dougie and Danny were moving slow, of course, to Danny he knew he was gay, he knew how everything worked, but to Dougie everything was knew, he didn't know, everything was first times, and slow paced. Dougie loved Danny, he did, but was he ready to call himself gay, or tell people, he wasn't sure.

"Yeah, that would be great, Jazzie loves you, you know." Dougie smiled, Danny and Harry were planning on a big break up in front of Tom this week at Dougie's party. To a certain degree Dougie wishes he could scream their relationship to the world but in another Dougie wanted to hide with Danny at the bottom of a hole, just them two and never tell anyone. Dougie couldn't help the screaming feeling that something would go wrong, they would go wrong just like his parents had.

"Stop thinking." Danny whispered, halting all the thoughts in Dougie's head, him slowly nodding.

A week later, at Dougie's birthday party, Dougie was getting dressed, all dressed up. Waiting for Danny to come and get him, take him down stairs ready for the big break up, Dougie chuckled to himself, the thought of how out of control this whole thing had gotten.

"Hey baby." Danny cooed round the corner, opening the door looking at Dougie all dressed up for his sixteen.

"Hey." Dougie replied, he wasn't overly affectionate, but Danny didn't mind, him and Dougie had already had this conversation. Kissing Dougie slowly, Dougie pushed him away before checking back and forth. "Danny! Anyone could see."

"I'm pretty sure, someone would have difficulty coming through a locked door." Danny teased, testing the door handle showing that it was indeed locked.

"Fine, smart arse." Dougie lent in to kiss Danny again.

Danny lead them down the stairs where the part was buzzing, Dougie making small talk with the range of guests, from Tom, enveloping him in a big hug, cuing over how grown up he'd become. From family to a few select friends. Harry was in the corner, flirting with Tom overly, enough for Danny to pick on, to start the argument.

"What are you doing?" Here it comes, Dougie thought to himself.

"Just talking to Tom." Harry replied nonchalantly.

"Right, more like flirting with Tom." Danny countered angrily.

"Why are you so over fucking protective." Harry shouted, causing the room to silent.

"Because, wasn't it Tom that you liked, wasn't it Tom that you STILL always talk about." Danny yelled, the room now emptying.

"Guys, I didn't want to cause an argument." Tom broke in.

"This isn't about you Tom it's about more than that. It's about the way Harry will look at any male specimen. Or the longing looks, or the consistent nagging." Danny continued.

"Maybe it's the way you under perform, or the way you can't commit." Harry spat.

"Maybe it's best if we're over." Danny finally yelled. Finally. Dougie thought, he finally had his Danny to himself.

"Danny calm down." Dougie played his part.

"No, I will not calm down, I've had it up to here with his lying and fucking deceiving ways." Danny turned back on Harry.

"Fine, if you feel like that we're over." Harry shouted.

"Yeah, I do feel like that. We are fucking over." Danny finished. Looking at Tom was was sat there horrified.

"No, no, no, I caused all of this, I didn't mean to, I was just catching up with Harry, I'm so sorry." Tom butted in again.

"Tom it's not your fault, it's been you for a long time now. Hasn't it Harry?" Danny changed his direction of speech to Harry who was nodding, shocking Tom. "I can't be with someone who doesn't want it to be me he's waking up to."

"I'm sorry it ended this way." Harry said solemnly, dragging Tom out the door with him, most of the guest leaving with him.

"Well, that was, interesting." Dougie sat on the sofa, removing his tie.

"Thank god that's over." Danny sighed, sitting next to Dougie, slinging and arm around Dougie.

"Yeah." Dougie leaned into Danny's touch, until he finally lead down.

"Happy birthday." Jazzie ran in, jumping on Dougie's lap, before sitting down.

"Thanks Jazzie, bedtime now all the parting's over." Dougie went to sit up.

"Wait! I want Danny to read me a story." Jazzie stood up, grabbing Danny's over sized hand.

"Is that okay?" Dougie asked, looking up at Danny, resisting the urge to kiss him, the last thing he needed was Jazzie telling his mum that he kissed Danny.

"Yeah, sure." Danny maneuvered himself from underneath Dougie.

Danny read Jazzie her story and tucked her in, before he went to leave.

"Wait!" Jazzie called, Danny closing the door, and walking back in sitting at the end of her bed. "You love Dougie don't you?"

"Yeah," Danny nodded.

"Do you love him like Mummy loves Daddy or like I love Dougie?" She asked again.

"I love him like Mummy loves Danny but even more." Danny smiled.

"I really wish Daddy would come home soon, he's been away for ages, and nobody will tell me why." Her smile faltered.

"I don't think it's my place to explain, sweetie." Danny replied.

"Thank you Danny." She smiled, turning over as he got up again.

"For what Jazzie?" Danny asked.

"Making Dougie happy again, he smiled a lot more now." Jazzie finally said, before closing her eyes, Danny left the room smiling, coming face to face with Dougie nearly falling to the floor with shock. Dougie enveloped him in a hug, trying his best to maneuver them to the bedroom.

"For what do I owe this pleasure." Danny chuckled laying Dougie down on the bed.

"She's right, what she said. You do make me happy, thank you. I wish I could tell her, about Dad, but I can't I just can't bring myself to do it. Mum doesn't speak of it, she likes to pretend he's still here, but he's not, so it's up to me, and I can't do it." Dougie rambled.

"I know, it's fine, one day she'll understand, or one day your mum will tell her." Danny lead down next to him.

"I know, I just wish she understood." Dougie sighed rolling over.

Dougie undressed into boxers, as did Danny, before crawling into bed. Danny still walking around in his boxers them ridding up ever so slightly, Dougie could see little red lines appearing under his boxers, the more he walked, folding up clothes the bigger and longer the cuts got on his leg, turning from small scratches to big gashes. Dougie had the desire to touch them, run his finger over every single one, kiss them all one by one. But he couldn't he didn't know how Danny would react. He didn't understand how someone so beautiful could don that to themselves.

"Dan-" Dougie choked out before stopping himself.

"You okay?" Danny spun round, pulling his boxer leg down, covering the scars.

"Yep, just thinking." Dougie nodded.

"I told you, don't think, it just complicates things." Danny kissed him on the head. "Just getting a drink." Danny pun again, before tripping slightly, stubbing his toe, and carrying on downstairs, leaving Dougie completely bewildered by the blonde. Danny was right thinking did over complicate things, every time things would be going fine, then the doubts would creep in, the thoughts of his parents, how everything broke up so quick, how happy then had been and then suddenly it all stopped, it terrified Dougie to the point he'd have to remove himself from the situation. It horrified Dougie, everything seemed fine, he seemed fine, until he got into a relationship, with commitment, it wasn't like he couldn't commit he could, it just scared him. What if he screwed it up, what if he woke up one day and Danny was gone.

"You okay?" Danny startled Dougie out of his thoughts, getting into bed next to him.

"Yeah." Dougie breathed, nodding more to convince himself than Danny.

"No your not, your over thinking again. Come on, out with it." Danny pushed.

"Just doesn't matter." Dougie rolled over, back facing Danny.

"Come on Dougs, no secrets, that still stands." Danny persuaded.

"Fine," Dougie sniffed, "What if I wake up one day, and your gone, like you aren't here when I wake up, or if I call you and you don't answer, I go to your house and you don't open the door. What if one day I go to work, and you just ignore, me decide you don't want me anymore." Dougie broke down.

"That won't happen, Dougie, I will always want you, you know I will." Danny hugged him, arms resting on the small of Dougie's back.

"But..." Dougie started.

"But nothing, you're mine, for as long as _you _want to be." Danny whispered, shivers down Dougie's spine.

"I love you." Dougie breathed, such a simple combination of three different words, but to Danny, they were everything. Dougie had never even so much as muttered them to Danny before, when ever Danny said _I love you,_ he always got a reply of _you too _ or _yeah _he had never heard them words from Dougie.

"I love you too." Danny smiled, bringing one hand to Dougie hair, messing up the blonde mop. A simple kiss was shared, soft and gentle, and understanding of emotions, an understanding, that showed the other the words spoken were truly meant. A soft kiss soon turned passionate, they hadn't crossed that mark yet, they hadn't crossed any mark yet. Dougie was still so young and so confused, knowing Danny was the one, but still not utterly sure of anything. Tongues met quick and inviting, Dougie groaning into Danny's mouth, Dougie's hand on Danny's thigh, thumb slipping gently over the scarred skin where his boxers had ridden up, finally touching the skin. Wanting to touch them, did that make Dougie fucked up, he didn't know all he knew is that it felt right, what they were doing right now, kissing, felt so right to Dougie.

"Dougie?" Jazzie squeaked, the door opening, Danny and Dougie jumping apart like lightening had struck them.

"Yeah, Jazzie, you okay?" He asked as the door fully opened.

"Can I stay here, I'm scared." Jazzie asked, peering in the room.

"Sure, come here." Dougie moved to make room in between him and Danny. Jazzie crawled up the middle, the tiny single bed filled to the brim. Jazzie cuddling into Dougie.

"I'm confused." She stated.

"About what?" Dougie asked.

"Well, earlier, Danny was with Harry, and then they got upset and now you were kissing Danny." She explained, as Dougie's eyes went wide.

"I was, um, I was." Dougie stuttered how on Earth did he explain this to a seven year old.

"Were you cheering him up, stopping him from being sad. Because, sometimes when I hurt my leg, Mummy kisses it better." She wondered.

"Yes he was making me feel better." Danny finally offered.

"Were you hurt on the inside, because that means you need a hug." She turned to hug Danny, "I hope you feel better."

"Thank you, I do." Danny smiled.

"But Jazzie, you mustn't tell Mummy, because I need to tell Mummy, okay." Dougie told her.

"Why would I tell Mummy that Danny was upset, that's Danny job." Jazzie asked confused.

"You mustn't tell Mummy I was kissing Danny, she might not like it." Dougie explained.

"Why wouldn't she?" Jazzie questioned.

"Because I was kissing Danny like Mummy and Daddy used to kiss." He tried to get his point across as simply as possible.

"But then wouldn't Mummy be happy for you." She countered.

"Not all Mummies are happy about it, Danny's like my girlfriend." Dougie tried another way.

"But he's a boy, he's your boyfriend, and that's a good thing Danny makes you happy therefore everyone should be happy as well." Jazzie smiled.

"And it a good thing, but Dougie needs to tell Mummy because it's such a good thing, so shall it our little secret, just us three?" Dougie asked.

"Yeah, like the three musketeers, we mustn't tell." Jazzie agreed and Dougie finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good, only us three can know." Dougie nodded, "Sleep now." Dougie soothed Jazzie until she finally fell asleep.

"I'll tell them one day you know, I just can't right now." Dougie reassured to Danny, who he wasn't quite sure if Danny was actually awake.

"I know, it took me two years to tell my parents, it's fine." Danny smiled, making Dougie relax, the last thing he wanted was a boyfriend that was on his back. "Happy birthday Donners. You sixteen and all grown up."

"And legal." Dougie joked.

"And legal." Danny repeated rolling his eyes. "I love you."

"You too." Dougie replied, maybe once was enough for Danny, he'd gone long enough without hearing the simple words, but he did love it when Dougie had said them three little words that made his heart swell.


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: DO NOT OWN_

_a/n: Hello guys, all your reviews suddenly stopped, :(, hey ho, here's another chapter._

"Tom is making Harry feel better." Jazzie smiled as she opened the door to Danny and Dougie, Tom and Harry had been left in charge of Jazzie while Dougie and Danny were working.

"Right, okay. Danny, you take Jazzie to bed as it's past her bedtime anyway and I'll deal with the other two." Dougie explained, as Danny lifted Jazzie up and ran upstairs with her, he was so good with children, Dougie mused. Before shaking himself out of his revery. Opening the door to the living room of course, Harry and Tom were kissing, more like snogging on the sofa. "Guys! Feel like not getting it on in front of my sister?" Dougie yelled exasperatedly, making the two jump apart.

"Uh, sorry, is she okay?" Tom asked straightening himself up.

"Yeah, she's fine, Danny's putting her to bed even if she should've been in bed an hour ago. Hoe did you two happen anyway?" Dougie questioned.

"Well, um, it just kinda did." Harry stuttered, Tom nodding.

"Great, just fab, next time only one of you is baby sitting until you can keep your hands off each other, my sister did not need to see that. Come on, off you go." Dougie hurried them out of the door, finding it was unfair to make Danny put his younger sister to sleep two nights in a row. Running up the stairs, kicking his shoes off at the top of the stairs, Dougie heard Danny and Jazzie's whispers.

"What do you mean Daddy used to upset Dougie?" Danny whispered, as Dougie started to panic.

"He used to say mean things and make Dougie cry, but we weren't allowed to tell Mummy." Jazzie explained before Dougie walked into the room.

"Jazzie, they're our secret, just us two, you don't tell other people those secrets." Dougie told her, kneeling down next to her.

"But we're the three musketeers, I was just saying thank you to Danny." She looked hurt at Dougie.

"But we still have our secrets, nobody needs to know them." Dougie hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'm sorry, I was just trying to help, I didn't mean to upset you." She cried, clinging to Dougie.

"You haven't upset me Jaz, I promise, just no more secret telling yeah?" Dougie soothed, until her tears finally stopped and she nodded. "Good, goodnight Jazzie, love you."

"Love you too." Jazzie whispered, finally rolling over into a peaceful sleep.

Danny and Dougie walked back to Dougie's room in silence, Dougie already waiting for the inevitable. However, there was just more and more silence, until Dougie had to asked the question the tension killing him.

"You want to know don't you?" Dougie mumbled, waiting for some sort of response.

"That's up to you." Danny said shortly.

"You're annoyed aren't you?" Dougie asked.

"Well, just a little, you guilt trip me into telling you my biggest secret, my scars and all that, and then I have to find out from you sister, about your Dad, I'm not even completely sure what about him, all I know is he used to upset you, and you don't even bother to tell me. What happened to no secrets Doug?" Danny ranted, possibly sounding more angry than he wanted it to.

"I guilt trip you? I did no such thing, I said don't feel pressured into telling me. You can't possibly turn this around on me, I'm very fucking sorry I didn't tell you. What was i meant to say, and how the hell was I meant to bring it up?" Dougie tried to stop himself from shouting, they'd finally got Jazzie off.

"I dunno, how about the millions of times I've asked about secrets, just bring it up then. Actually fucking open up for once, you keep everything so under wraps it's hard to tell whether it's the truth." Danny countered.

"You think I'm a liar, you don't trust your own fucking boyfriend, how polite." Dougie laughed hinted with spite.

"I never said, I didn't trust you, do you really think I'd be here right now if I didn't trust you." Danny answered.

"I don't actually know, don't forget, I had to watch you kiss another boy while we were together, and you call me the liar." Dougie replied.

"What has that got to do with anything? You know that I would never, and I never called you a fucking liar. Just talk to me for once, you finally have someone who will listen and who will understand but you don't fucking speak to me." Danny breathed calming himself down.

"What exactly do you want me to say? Ay? Oh yeah Danny, you know my Dad who no one has seen for a good year and a bit, yeah? I think the reason he left is because I finally found some guts and threatened to tell the police, or tell Mum, that he was hurting me, and starting to hurt my sister? Or do you want me to come out with whole sob story, the whole, I had to work because me Dad left us, and I was the only man in the house? Or do you want to hear all the nitty gritty details, the real reason I started getting bullied, just because they decided they didn't like me. No, I started going to school with cuts and my face, the occasional black eye. You know, you want to hear all the stories, do you?" Dougie spat. Danny looking back at him horrified, Dougie finally getting his point across. "How about this story, come on sit down story time Danny, sit down." Dougie spoke through gritted teeth waiting for Danny to sit down on the bed.

"Dougie, stop." Danny pleaded.

"No, you wanted to know, sit down. Let me tell you a story. How about the first night it happened, little eight year old me, Mum had happily finished reading me a story, she left calmly, my Dad coming in to wish me goodnight like he did every night. But this night was different, you wanna know how? yeah. Right well that night, he told me to get out of bed, being a good boy I did as I was told, at first he sat me down, in that very space your sitting now, then he continued to tell me that everything I was doing was wrong. However, that was nothing, sure that left me confused, and completely stunned. The last night, the night before he left, six years later that seems like a good place to skip to. Yeah, the night before he left, he came into my room, like he did most nights now, though tonight, he threatened me, something worse than violence, Jazzie. If I didn't comply to whatever he had to say or to do, he'd hurt her. Of course, I wasn't letting that happen, a good beating, black eye, and a broken tooth later, he left. You wonder why I'm so against physical contact, why I hate hugging for to long, the reason I don't want anything intimate? Because as soon as things get good, as soon as I'm happy, he's back there, shouting at me, yelling at me, telling me everything is wrong, hitting me, threatening me. You wanna know the worst part, I'm pretty sure Mum heard my cries, the screams in the middle of the night. She did nothing, her precious little husband would never hurt her son, right?" Dougie finished, eyes now welling with tears, caused the memories.

"Dougie, I'm so sorry." Danny started, trying to reach out to Dougie who flinched away.

"You happy now, no more secrets." Dougie clenched and unclenched his jaw, stopping tears from falling. "You know everything about me now, you've got what you wanted."

"Dougie, I never meant to upset you, you know that, with whatever I do, I never mean to upset you." Danny tried.

"I know, it just sort of happens." Dougie shrugged getting into bed.

"We're still good though right?" Danny asked warily.

"Yeah, we're fine." Dougie sighed, it felt so good to get it off his chest, it had been so long he had kept that secret. He couldn't tell his Mum she'd never believe him, he couldn't tell Jazzie, he didn't want her hurt, and before know he never thought Danny would understand. Finally over eight years of it being ran over in his mind, Dougie had finally let it all out. He had wanted to tell someone at the time, or someone notice, but at the same time, he wanted to hide, never tell anyone.

"Dougie, did he ever, do, like other, touch you?" Danny asked reluctantly wanting to know the answer but he didn't want the answer to be yes.

"No, he never touch me, he tried, I threatened with telling Mum or police, then it would turn into a beating." Dougie explained, hating all the painful memories being brought back.

"You have me now, and he is never going to get anywhere near you again." Danny managed, to fight against Dougie's protests of a hug until he finally enveloped the younger blonde, whispering sweet nothings in his ear. Until Dougie's head finally dropped onto Danny's shoulder, nose buried deep in his neck, built up tears falling barricade down, Dougie's arms going round Danny's neck. "I love you." Danny murmured.

"I love you too." Dougie breathed, "Thank you, for everything. I don't think I realised how much I needed you until you came into my life."

Finally getting into bed, Dougie's shoulders slumped into the mattress, he finally could be himself around Danny, it wasn't that he hadn't been being himself, it was simple that now, he didn't have any secrets to hide. Danny getting in beside him, a little more spacious tonight without Jazzie stuck in between.

"Mum's back tomorrow." Dougie stated.

"Yeah, then we'll have to be a bit more wary." Danny nodded, more to himself than Dougie.

"Yeah, I will tell her, one day. I mean, I'm not gonna be walking down the isle, and my Mum be like what's going on I had no idea, I mean. I just can't tell her now." Dougie reassured, opening his eyes, again seeing a huge smile on Danny's face "What?"

"You see yourself getting married to me?" Danny asked, as Dougie reeled back through what he said before blushing.

"Maybe." He ducked his head.

"Good, because I see myself marrying you too." Danny smiled before kissing him, a soft exploration of mouths, tongues seeking each others mouths, fast and passionate. Before they broke apart smiling, giggling to each other like a bunch of seven year old's, just being asked to hold hands with girls. Danny's hand on Dougie's bum, not that Dougie seemed to mind, Dougie's arms around Danny's waist, hugging him half to death.

"Dougie, I'm not going to disappear." Danny chuckled, releasing his grip on the blonde.

"This in the first time I've properly been bale to hug you, just let me enjoy it." Dougie smiled.

"I can feel you smiling you know." Danny laughed, he could, the thin fabric of his pajamas he could still feel Dougie smile.

"That's good, I can tell you're smiling, just by the way you sound." Dougie informed.

Danny didn't feel the need for a reply, simply circling his arms around Dougie's waist again, Dougie was right this was the frist proper time they had had a chance to hug since they got together, and the should relish it before parents got back and things got complex again.


End file.
